iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Elastic Skin Firming & Plumping Serum Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides

iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Elastic Skin Firming & Plumping Serum Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane and Copper Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Carnosine and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Squalane

Diheptyl Succinate

Pentylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract

Copper Tripeptide-1

Oligopeptide-1

Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76

Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-47

Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate

Ceramide NP

Niacinamide

Centella Asiatica Extract

Beta-Glucan

Sodium Hyaluronate

Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract

Sodium PCA

Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract

Panthenol

Allantoin

Betaine

Bisabolol

Zinc PCA

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

C14-22 Alcohols

Sodium Polyacrylate

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Carbomer

Sorbitan Olivate

Cellulose Gum

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Cetearyl Olivate

Mannitol

Phosphatidylcholine

Cetyl Alcohol

Decyl Glucoside

Dipotassium Phosphate

Propanediol

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Phytate

Tocopherol

Xanthan Gum

Potassium Phosphate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hydroxyacetophenone

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Diheptyl Succinate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Oligopeptide-1, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-47, Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate, Ceramide NP, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Sodium PCA, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Betaine, Bisabolol, Zinc PCA, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, C14-22 Alcohols, Sodium Polyacrylate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Carbomer, Sorbitan Olivate, Cellulose Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Olivate, Mannitol, Phosphatidylcholine, Cetyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Dipotassium Phosphate, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone

Inulin

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Carnosine

Polysorbate 20

Caprylyl Glycol

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Citric Acid

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Tetrapeptide-21

Pentapeptide-18

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Pantolactone

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Glyceryl Caprylate

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Phenylpropanol

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Inulin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Carnosine, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tetrapeptide-21, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Pantolactone, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Phenylpropanol, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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